Golf bag with integrated accessory bag

ABSTRACT

A golf bag ( 1 ) is provided that includes a main bag portion, and an accessory bag portion ( 3 ). The accessory bag portion may be either placed within a socket portion of the main bag portion such that the main portion and the accessory bag portion are integrated ( 4 ) to form a golf bag, or removed from the socket portion to provide access to an accessory bag that is smaller than the golf bag. The accessory bag portion includes a handle ( 15 ); and the golf bag includes a lock mechanism ( 24 ) that is operable to automatically lock the accessory bag portion in place relative to the main bag portion, when the accessory bag portion is inserted into the socket portion, and wherein once locked in the socket portion, the locking mechanism enables a user to lift the golf bag using the handle. The accessory bag includes an activation mechanism ( 16 ) operable, based on user initiation of an activation button, to actuate two or more support legs ( 11 ) from a first retracted position, to a second splayed out position operable to enable the accessory bag to achieve a self-supporting upright position. The activation mechanism includes a slider, a pivoting shoulder for each supporting leg, and a spring means connecting each pivoting shoulder to the slider, such that the user initiation of the activation button moves the supporting legs to the second splayed out position.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention relates to golf bags. This invention relates moreparticularly to golf bags with a removable bag portion.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Golf bags generally consist of a single unit used to hold and carry afull set of golf clubs. Golf bags are often transported in a cart, orpulled in a trolley. Other golfers carry their golf bag. Golfers mayneed their entire set of golf clubs at some point during a golf game.However, for a number of shots only a subset of their golf clubs may beneeded or desired. Most golfers remove a subset of their golf clubs forthese occasions to limit unnecessary carrying of the full complement ofgolf clubs. But if the clubs are removed from the golf bag to becarried, they generally will be placed on the grass, and the golf clubgrips may become wet, and there is a risk of losing one or more clubs inthe process.

It should be noted that especially where golf clubs are carried in acart, and the cart is shared with one or more other players, the golfcart may be some distance from where a particular player's golf ball islocated, which may require a walk of some distance to return to the golfcart to retrieve the desired or required golf club.

For this reason, a number of golf bags were developed that include asmaller ancillary bag that may be removed from the main bag.

Ideally an accessory golf bag is built into the main bag and therefore,does not take extra room to carry. Also, the accessory bag should notadd very much weight to the main bag. Furthermore, since the accessorybag will be removed multiple times during a round of golf it should beeasy to remove and reattach to the main bag and when attached it shouldbe well secured so that it does not move or become detached from themain bag as the golf cart is moving or if the main bag is carried duringa round.

For example, PCT Patent Application No. WO91/18650 discloses a two partgolf bag, where the accessory bag held together by clips. A disadvantagewith this type of split bag is the difficulty in detaching the accessorybag from the main bag, and re-attaching the accessory bag to the mainbag. U.S. Pat. No. 2,837,346 has similar disadvantages.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,109 also discloses a two part bag where the main bagis shaped to provide an opening that receives an auxiliary bag forremoval of the auxiliary bag from the main bag and insertion of theauxiliary bag into the main bag.

United States Patent Application 2008/0296185 discloses a golf bag andaccessory bag structure including a coupling structure for enabling theaccessory bag to be attached to the main bag, and also for manualmanipulation thereof to remove the accessory bag from the main bag. Onedisadvantage of this prior art solution is that the removal of theaccessory bag from the main bag is relatively difficult and or awkward.

There is a need for dual golf bag structure that addresses the aforesaiddisadvantages.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In a first aspect of the invention, a golf bag is provided comprising amain bag portion, and an accessory bag portion, wherein the accessorybag portion may be either placed within a socket portion of the main bagportion such that the main portion and the accessory bag portion areintegrated to form a golf bag, or removed from the socket portion toprovide access to an accessory bag that is smaller than the golf bag,characterized in that:

-   -   (a) the accessory bag portion includes a handle; and    -   (b) the golf bag includes a lock mechanism that is operable to        automatically lock the accessory bag portion in place relative        to the main bag portion, when the accessory bag portion is        inserted into the socket portion;    -   wherein once locked in the socket portion, the locking mechanism        enables a user to lift the golf bag using the handle.

In a further aspect of the golf bag of the present invention, the lockmechanism comprises a pin and a receiver which inter-engage when theaccessory bag slides into the socket.

In another aspect of the invention, the receiver includes a biased catchfor snap-fitting engagement of the accessory bag portion to the main bagportion.

In a still further aspect of the invention, the biased catch includes anaperture in a biased and sliding receiver plate which is movable in onedirection by a user engageable locking/unlocking button, and is biasedin the opposite direction.

In yet another aspect of the invention, the receiver plate is connectedto the locking/unlocking button for sliding in one direction against thebias, and for sliding in the opposite direction under the bias to engagea notch in the pin.

In a still other aspect of the invention, the accessory bag includes anactivation mechanism operable, based on user initiation of an activationbutton, to actuate two or more support legs from a first retractedposition, to a second splayed out position operable to enable theaccessory bag to achieve a self-supporting upright position.

In another aspect of the invention, the activation mechanism includes aslider, a pivoting shoulder for each supporting leg, and a spring meansconnecting each pivoting shoulder to the slider, such that the userinitiation of the activation button moves the supporting legs to thesecond splayed out position.

In a still other aspect of the invention, the golf bag includes ahandle, and either adjacent to the handle or integrated with the handleis (a) a button that enables the release of the locking mechanism so asto permit the accessory bag portion to be removed from the main bagportion, and (b) an activation button that enables the activation of twoor more support legs to achieve a splayed out position that enables aself-supporting position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A detailed description of the preferred embodiment(s) is(are) providedherein below by way of example only and with reference to the followingdrawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 a, 1 b, and 1 c show the golf bag of the present invention withthe accessory bag at different stages of removal from the main bag.

FIG. 2 is a further view of golf bag of the present invention from afront end thereof.

FIGS. 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, and 3 d show views of the back end of the accessorybag.

FIGS. 4 a, 4 b, and 4 c show further view of the back end of theaccessory bag, in which the accessory bag achieves its self-supporting,tripod-like configuration.

FIGS. 5 a, 5 b, 5 c, 5 d, 5 e, 5 f, and 5 g show the function of theaccessory bag whereby when the accessory bag is in its self-supportingconfiguration, initiation of the release button results in the accessorybag support legs being pulled back into their resting position, wherethe support legs are flush with the accessory bag body.

FIG. 6 is a further view of the accessory bag in its self-supportingconfiguration.

FIGS. 7 a, 7 b,and 7 c show further views of activation mechanism of thegolf bag of the present invention.

FIGS. 8 a and 8 b consist of cross-sectional views show thelocking/release mechanism of the present invention.

FIGS. 9 a, 9 b and 9 c show a variety of cross-sectional viewillustrating a particular embodiment of the locking/release mechanism.

In the drawings, preferred embodiments of the invention are illustratedby way of example. It is to be expressly understood that the descriptionand drawings are only for the purpose of illustration and as an aid tounderstanding, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention consists of an improved two-part golf bag. Thefirst portion is the main bag. The second portion is the accessory bagor accessory bag portion which is removable from a cavity formed by themain bag to receive the accessory bag. The accessory bag can also bere-inserted into the cavity. The main bag and the accessory bag togetherare formed such that when the accessory bag rests in the cavity, thegolf bag has the appearance of a conventional golf bag, and alsofunctions (other than the presence of the accessory bag, and the abilityto remove same from the main bag as described above) in the same way asa conventional golf bag. For example the handle 15 functions in the sameway as a conventional golf bag.

As detailed below, the auxiliary bag (also referred to as an “accessorybag” in this disclosure) is designed to receive a plurality of golfclubs, but a lesser number of golf clubs than the total number of golfclubs that fit within the golf bag as a whole.

Significantly, the auxiliary bag rests within the cavity in a lockedposition. The mechanism for the lock is detailed below. Also, preferablythe mechanism is operable to provide locking of the auxiliary bag to themain bag, within the cavity, with a force that is sufficient to maintainlocked position during normal operation of the golf bag, e.g. use of thehandle 15 to lift the golf bag.

In a further aspect of the invention, the lock mechanism is furtherdesigned to enable the golf bag user to release the mechanism easily, asdetailed below. This is important to enable the accessory bag to beeasily and quickly removed from the main bag, so as to enable the quickremoval of the accessory bag for a shot using the subset of the golfclubs, and then after the short the rapid re-insertion of the accessorybag within its cavity.

As a further aspect of the invention, the accessory bag includes aplurality of support legs that are connected to the body of theaccessory bag such that the support legs and bottom portion of theaccessory bag are operable to achieve a position in which the accessorybag is self-supporting. The self-supporting features is useful in thatit enables the user to carry the accessory bag to the place of his/hernext shot, place the accessory bag on the ground, remove the desiredclub(s), and take the shot. As a result of the self-supporting positionof the accessory bag, golf clubs may be readily removed from theinterior of the accessory bag, and easily re-inserted into the interiorof the accessory bag.

The accessory bag achieves the self-supporting position, in oneparticular aspect of the invention, by the user initiating an activationmechanism (and more particularly a leg activation mechanism) linked toan activation button that is operable to enable the two or more legs, attheir extremities adjacent to the bottom of the accessory bag to pivotand extend away from the accessory bag. As explained further below, themechanism for enabling the accessory bag to achieve the self-supportingposition incorporates one or more springs (or equivalent) such that themechanism tends to the retracted position. The activation mechanismnonetheless is operable to move the support legs to the self-supportingposition, and then placement of the accessory bag on the ground tends tofix the support legs in the self-supporting position. Once the accessorybag is lifted from the ground, this tends to release the two or morelegs, allowing them to achieve their resting position, by operation ofthe one or more spring means, in a position where the legs are disposedin a substantially parallel position to the length of the accessory bag,so as to enable the accessory bag to be returned to the cavity. Thisenables the easy return of the accessory bag to the cavity, in essenceenabling it to be dropped back into place.

Also, upon return of the accessory bag to the cavity, the accessory baglocks into place automatically, until of course the release button isinitiated again.

In one embodiment, the accessory bag and the main bag part together havethe profile of a full-sized golf bag.

In a particular embodiment, the lock mechanism that is operable tomaintain the accessory bag in place within the cavity, so as to maintainthe accessory bag and the main portion as an integral golf bag, consistsof a pin and a receiver which inter-engage when the accessory bag slidesinto the socket or bag. In one particular embodiment, the pin is fixedto the main bag portion.

In another embodiment, a receiver is provided including a biased catchfor snap-fitting engagement of the accessory bag to the main bagportion.

In a further embodiment, the biased catch is part of a mechanism of theaccessory bag.

In one embodiment, the catch is an aperture in a biased and slidingreceiver plate which is movable in one direction by a user actuator andis biased in the opposite direction, as best shown in FIG. 9.

In another embodiment, the receiver plate is connected to a useractuator button for sliding in one direction against the bias, and forsliding in the opposite direction under the bias to engage a notch inthe pin.

In a further embodiment, the accessory bag includes a stand mechanismcomprising a user actuator and legs movable between a retracted positionalongside the accessory bag body and a splayed-out position.

In one embodiment, the actuator comprises a pivoting shoulder for eachsupport leg, the support shoulders pivoting the connected support legsaway from the casing of the accessory bag.

In another embodiment, the slider pushes the legs at a location close toan upper pivot joint.

In a further embodiment, the slider may comprise an arcuate bar orrubber rod arranged between the portions of the legs connecting to thebody of the accessory bag so as to cause the legs to pivot and splay outto achieve the self-supporting position.

In one embodiment, the stand mechanism includes a spring system 22 whichautomatically locks the legs back in place when returned.

In another embodiment, the stand mechanism comprises a spring arrangedto engage a catch member in a sliding button to lock the legs.

In a further embodiment, the accessory bag comprises a lower looparranged for a user's arm to pass through to hold the accessory bagagainst the body.

In one embodiment, the loop is attached to the accessory bag body at alocation close to a lower location where a main carrying strap isattached.

Referring to the drawings (including for example FIGS. 1 a, 1 b, 1 c,and 2) a golf bag 1 comprises a main portion, an accessory bag 3, and asocket 4 or cavity for receiving the accessory bag 3. As shown in forexample FIGS. 1 a, 1 b, and 1 c, the accessory bag 3 forms an integralpart of the golf bag when inserted with the cavity or socket of the mainportion, made to receive the accessory bag. This gives the impressionthat the golf bag 1 is conventional. However, a golfer may easily removethe accessory bag by simply gripping it at handle 15 and pressing abutton 20 to release a lock.

In one particular embodiment, button 20 (shown for example in FIGS. 5a-5 g) is at the end of a bar 27 which forms part of a mechanism 24.Mechanism 24 is best understood by referring to FIGS. 8 a, 8 b, 9 a, 9b, and 9 c. The mechanism 24 keeps the accessory bag 3 secured to themain portion 2 to the extent that the full golf bag 1 can be lifted fromthe handle 15. It performs the dual tasks of locking the accessory bag 3to the main portion 2 and of operating legs 11 to form a stand after theaccessory bag 3 has been removed.

The mechanism 24 includes a receiver pin 25 on the main bag portion 2, areceiver plate 26, a bar 27 (attached to the button 20), a top housing28, and a bottom housing 29.

The mechanism 24 also comprises an activation means at the end of anactivation button 16, operable to achieve the mentioned self-supportingposition. In one embodiment, pivoting shoulders 12 a, 12 b are attachedto support legs 11. As shown in FIGS. 9 a and 9 b the action of pushingthe button 16 causes the activation of the of the pivoting shoulders 12a, 12 b, despite these being biased to a retracted position by means ofspring 18, resulting in the playing of the support legs 11, as shown forexample in FIGS. 5 a, 5 b. This occurs by means of the activation ofactivation button 16 overcoming the biasing of spring 18; thetranslation movement of the bar; spring connectors 13 a and 13 b; whichtogether provide the activation of the legs such that they splay awayfrom the accessory bag to achieve the self-supporting position.

As explained above, by placing the accessory bag on the ground with thesupport legs 11 in the self-supporting, splayed position, the supportlegs tend to maintain this position. But once the accessory bag islifted, so long as the activation button 16 is not being engaged, thesupport legs 11 return to the retracted position by means of spring 18,as shown for example in FIGS. 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, and 3 d. Also, spring 22pushes down on button 26 so as to maintain it in place.

The locking action is performed by pushing the accessory bag 3 into thesocket 4, upon which the pin 25 in the main portion 2 snap-fits behindthe receiver plate 26, as best shown in FIG. 9 c.

As shown in FIGS. 9 a, 9 b and 9 c, when the locking button 20 ispressed, the receiver plate 26 is pushed so that it not longer engagesin a notch of the pin 25 and so the accessory bag 3 may be lifted out.In more detail, to release the accessory bag 3 one presses the lockingbutton 20, which is attached to the bar 27, which pushes against theplate 26. This realigns holes in the housing 28 and 29 with the hole inthe plate 26. This frees the slot 30 to release the receiver pin 25. Thespring 21 automatically offsets the hole in the plate 26 ready forlocking again.

When the accessory bag 3 has been removed the mechanism 10 can be usedas described above for operating the legs 11.

To reattach, one simply returns the accessory bag 3 to its position andit will automatically lock back in place due to action of the spring 21which urges the locking button 20 outwardly. The angle at the head ofthe receiver pin 25 pushes the plate 26, enabling the receiver pin 25 topass. When the plate 26 is lined up with the slot 30, the return spring21 pulls the plate 26 back into the slot 30, locking them in position.

A strap is preferably attached to the accessory bag 3 is in two parts, amain strap and a small loop strap for the wrist. The loop strap isgenerally used by passing one's hand through the loop strap to securethe bag to the body eliminating the bounce of the bag which causesirritation and sometimes injury to the user.

It should be understood that the present invention provides a verysimple structure to enable one or more of (a) automated locking of theaccessory bag once in place in the cavity, and easy manual release ofthe locked accessory bag, and/or (b) easy initiation of an activationmechanism of two or more support legs to that they splay to achieve aself-supporting configuration of the accessory bag. Additionally, theaccessory bag is configured such that the support legs automaticallyreturn to their retracted position when the accessory bag is lifted, andthe activation button is not being initiated.

It will be appreciated that the invention provides a very simple andeffective accessory bag for occasional use either on the course or atthe driving range.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described but may bevaried in construction and detail.

1. A golf bag comprising a main bag portion, and an accessory bagportion, wherein the accessory bag portion may be either placed within asocket portion of the main bag portion such that the main portion andthe accessory bag portion are integrated to form a golf bag, or removedfrom the socket portion to provide access to an accessory bag that issmaller than the golf bag, characterized in that: (c) the accessory bagportion includes a handle; and (d) the golf bag includes a lockmechanism that is operable to automatically lock the accessory bagportion in place relative to the main bag portion, when the accessorybag portion is inserted into the socket portion; wherein once locked inthe socket portion, the locking mechanism enables a user to lift thegolf bag using the handle.
 2. The golf bag of claim 1, characterized inthat the lock mechanism comprises a pin and a receiver whichinter-engage when the accessory bag slides into the socket.
 3. The golfbag as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the pin is fixed to themain bag portion.
 4. The golf bag as claimed in claim 2 or 3,characterized in that the receiver includes a biased catch forsnap-fitting engagement of the accessory bag portion to the main bagportion.
 5. The golf bag of claim 4, characterized in that the biasedcatch is part of a mechanism that is part of the accessory bag portion.6. The golf bag of claim 5, characterized in that the biased catchincludes an aperture in a biased and sliding receiver plate which ismovable in one direction by a user engageable locking/unlocking button,and is biased in the opposite direction.
 7. The golf bag of claim 6,characterized in that the receiver plate is connected to thelocking/unlocking button for sliding in one direction against the bias,and for sliding in the opposite direction under the bias to engage anotch in the pin.
 8. The golf bag of claim 1, characterized in that theaccessory bag includes an activation mechanism operable, based on userinitiation of an activation button, to actuate two or more support legsfrom a first retracted position, to a second splayed out positionoperable to enable the accessory bag to achieve a self-supportingupright position.
 9. The golf bag of claim 8, characterized in that theactivation mechanism includes a slider, a pivoting shoulder for eachsupporting leg, and a spring means connecting each pivoting shoulder tothe slider, such that the user initiation of the activation button movesthe supporting legs to the second splayed out position.
 10. The golf bagof claim 9, characterized in that the supporting legs are biased to thefirst retracted position.
 11. The golf bag of claim 1 characterized inthat the golf bag includes a handle, and either adjacent to the handleor integrated with the handle is (a) a button that enables the releaseof the locking mechanism so as to permit the accessory bag portion to beremoved from the main bag portion, and (b) an activation button thatenables the activation of two or more support legs to achieve a splayedout position that enables a self-supporting position.